sprekklengde

Sprekklengde is a term used in Dutch-language studies of spoken language to describe the length of spoken segments within discourse. It can refer to the average length of utterances or the average duration of utterances, depending on the method. The concept is closely related to, but not identical with, speaking rate (spreektempo) and fluency. In practice, researchers measure sprekklengde by segmenting a speech sample into utterances according to syntactic or prosodic boundaries, and then counting words or syllables per utterance or measuring durations in seconds. Common metrics include mean utterance length in words, mean utterance duration, and (less commonly) syllables per second when standardizing.

Applications include second language acquisition, where longer sprekklengde can indicate rising fluency, though context matters; in public speaking and broadcasting, an optimal sprekklengde balances clarity and listener engagement, with too-short utterances potentially breaking flow and too-long utterances risking loss of attention. In conversational analysis, sprekklengde interacts with turn-taking and topic structure.

Limitations: the term is not universally standardized, and segmentation rules vary across studies, which can hinder comparability. When reporting sprekklengde, researchers should specify segmentation criteria, measurement units, and sample size. See also: spreektempo, fluency, utterance length.